Surgical glove package



' I May 17,1960 J. F. FULTON 2,936,881

SURGICAL GLOVE PACKAGE Filed Oct. 8, 1958 INVENTOR. James E F ul'ion awl/az z k 2,936,881 SURGICAL GLOVE PACKAGE James F. Fulton, Hamden,- Conn., assignor to The Seam les Rubber Company, New Haven, Conn., acorporation of Connecticut 7 r Application October 8,1958, Serial No. 766,064

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) i i This inventionrelates to a package for retaining surgical gloves therein during a sterilization treatment and maintaining them thereafter in sterilized condition The handling of sterilized surgical-gloves presents serious problems to those charged with the important responsibility of handling 'them during 'andafter sterilization. Sanitary standards prohibit theuse of gloves which have become unsterile by contact with people or objects.

The present invention satisfies a definite need in providing a surgical glove package which facilitates the handling of surgical gloves during and after sterilization.

The present invention provides a surgical glove package inv which the surgical gloves can be supplied to the consumer." The surgical gloves packaged therein can be sterilized beforehand by the supplier, or they can be sup-' plied in a clean but unsterile condition for sterilization by the consumer. In either case, the gloves are intended to be sterilized while enclosed within the package."

In the sterilization treatment, a large number of these packages can be placed inaheated chamber, preferably in-racks 'so that the packages are spaced apart from each other. a The package containing the sterilized gloves mayv then'be stored until use. Thepackage, when opened to obtain access to the sterile gloves, may be destroyed or, if undamaged, used once again-to re-sterilize a pair of gloves packaged therein. I

The present invention provides a surgical glove package which will retain the gloves therein in an upright position without folds and creases, so as to afford the sterilizing medium access to all surface areas, of the glove, both inside and outside. The present invention also provides a package which is readilyopened to permit removal of r the gloves from the package in such fashion that the gloves are not contaminated or rendered unsterile by contact with unsterilized surfaces.

In the surgical glove package of the present inventio the gloves are retained within a folder which is inserted within an outer envelope. The inside of the folder includes a pair of supports on which the gloves are accom the open end of the envelope, so that when the outer envelope is opened and the inner folder is permitted to fall onto a surface, the inner folder will open face up, preventing the gloves from coming into contact with the unsterilized surface. 7

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the description which follows and to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the surgical glove package of the present invention; 7

' Figure 2 is a face view-of the sheet which forms-the inner folder in unfolded condition;

- sterilized by heated steam, both the envelope and folder Figure '3 is a perspective View of the inner folder; 7 Figure 4 is a plan view of the inner folder showing how the'gloves are retained therein in upright position; and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure .4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the surgical glove package ofthe present invention comprises an outer envelope and a folderl'twhich is: of the proper shape and size to be inserted within the envelope. If the "gloves are to be p are made of paper or other suitable material capable of being penetrated by the steam during the sterilization process. -The'material should have the stiffness, rigidity and tensile strength necessary to withstand handling with out tearing or excessive loss in shape. 7 1

The folder 11, shown in Figure 3, is made initially from *a sheet. having the general, configuration shown in Figure 2. The sheet shown inFigure 2 is folded at the center along the'crease line 13 and along parallel crease li'nes 14 and 15 are distances equally spaced from flthe center line 13 on opposite-sides thereof. These fold lines divide the sheet into panels 16 and 17 hinged together by the center fold line, and flaps 18 and '19 tively; r

The upper edge of the sheet shown in Figure 2 is formed withra tab portion 20 which, when folded along a line 21 joining the upper edges of the sidefiaps 18 and 19, provides an upper flap' which extends continuously across the upper edges of'the panels 16 and 17. Similarly, the lower edge of the sheet is formed with a doublehumped-tab portion 22 which, when folded along a line 23joining'the lower edges of the side flaps 18 and 19, provides a lower flap which extends continuously across the lower edges of the panels 16 and 17. When folded in the manner illustrated in Figure43, each of the tapering supports 24 forms an upstanding support for the wrist portion of a surgical glove 25. Needless to say, when the tab portions 20 and 22 are folded inwardly in the manner shown in Figure 3, their creases along the center line 13 are reversed.

The gloves 25 are inserted in the folder 11 with the wrist portions thereof turned back, as shown in Figure 4. With the wrist portion turned back, the open'end of the glove is placed on the upstanding sup-porting flap 24 in such position as to permit the hand portion of the glove to lie flat against the respective panel. Theupper tips'of the fingers are tucked under the upper flap 20 to prevent the fingers from folding back and forming creases. The

'flaps 18 and 19 are then folded back over the adjacent gloves, and the folder again folded in wallet fashion along the center fold line to bring the flaps 18 and 19 in faceto-face relationship. The folder 11 is then inserted within the envelope 10 in the manner shown in Figure 1,

with the folded edge at the open end of the envelope.

The envelope is closed by folding the flap 26 of the envelope along its crease line 27. The flap 26 is held closed by the use of a strip of adhesive-coated tape 28,

preferably a pressure-sensitive "adhesive tape, which will that is to say, either wet or dry steam at high tempera- 1 ture. Because of the manner in which the fingers are retained in upright condition without creases or folds, there are no surfaces of the glove which are isolated from the steam or insulated from the heat thereof. The steam Patented May 17, 1960 lc, w r k3z readily finds its way bet een the outer surface of the glove and the folded-back wrist portion thereof. Entry of the steam between these surfaces of the glove is facilitatedtby. the'position. of the thumb of. theglove therebetween as shown in Figure4; Access to the insideof. the:

glove, includingthe fingers, is possible by virtue ofgthe fact that. the glove. is held open at the wrist by ;the; up-

standii'ig support 24 and by the additional fact-that the fingers are retained" by the upper flap 20. in upright position. 7

During the" sterilization: treatment, iti s advisable to maintain: the packages separated .softhat. the steam has: access to. both sides of the envelope. Suitable racks or:

dislodged from the envelope by shaking. the envelope over" a table surface, directing. the 'foldediedge: thereof toward the table surface, so that if the folder opens up infalling'.

onto-thetable surface, the outer surface willlie againstthe; table surface, protecting the gloves from directcontact therewith; The package can, of course, be reused, provided that it has not been-torn or damaged in handling.

The invention has been shown in a single preferredform and by way of example only, and obviously many' variationsand-modificationsmay be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention; For ex-- ample; more than one pair .of gloves can be enclosed within. each. package. Moreover, although. the package: has-been described for use in a steam sterilization treatment, itmay be used in, or adapted for use to, other sterilization treatments as-well. Therefore, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not to be limited. to' any specified. form or embodimentunless the limitations are expressly set forth in the claims.

l. A package for retaining surgical gloves duringand after sterilization comprising a folder formed from a foldable sheet and a' pair of surgical gloves within the folder, said folder comprising two glove-receiving panels separated by a center fold line, a lower flap folded upwardly along a fold line and Having an upstanding tapered glove mount overlying each panel, each glove mount receiving a glove thereon with the wrist portion of. the glove turned inside-outand extending, upwardly toward the fingersof the glove, theta'pered mount being inserted within the, glovetomaintain theinside of the glove open during sterilization, and an upper flap for'each panel folded downwardly'a'longa fold line to. overlie the finger tips-iofa'glove within the respective panelto'maintain the hand portion of the glove open during sterilization, the

- glove p'anelsbeing: folded'together alongv said centerfold line.

2. A package for retaining surgical gloves during and after sterilization comprising a folder formed from a foldable sheet and a pair of surgical gloves within the folder, said folder comprising two glove-receiving panels separated. by. a center fold? line, a. lower flap folded upwardl'yv alongafoldllihe andhaving. anupstandingta'peredi glove mountfoverlying each panel, each glove mountreceiving a glove thereon with; the wrist portion of. the

glove. turned inside-out and: extending. upwardly toward the fingers. of the glove,.the tapered mount beinginsertecb within the. glove, to maintain the inside. of thev glove open during; sterilization,.an. upper flap for each panel foldedi downwardly: along. a. fold line to overlie the finger. tips of a glove. within .the respective panel to maintain. thev hand' portion oftheglove. open: during, sterilization, and.

a. side. flap connected by. af'oldlin'e to. the outer edgeof one. of the panels topermitthesideflapto be foldedback:

over the glove, retainedlin. the. respectivepanel, the side flap. beinginterposed' between the gloves whenthe panels are foldeditogether. alongthe center. fold. line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- Great Britain Ian; 8; 193-52. 

